The Justification of Sinners

"…if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law." (Galatians 3:21)

The justification of sinners from beginning to end is by the free Grace of God, through the obedient life and death and the one righteousness of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, apart from any work, act of the will, or merit of the sinner. "Being justified freely by His Grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…” (Romans 3:24)

Freely means wholly conditioned upon Christ alone.To make justification dependent in any way upon the sinner’s willing, believing, or acting is to render the death of Christ vain. Justification is the legal act of God whereby He declares sinners just (perfectly righteous) because the LORD Jesus Christ honored and satisfied the law on their behalf, both in its precepts and penalty. Having fully accomplished the work by His death, all the blessings of forgiveness and pardon were immediately applied to the account of the elect. In time, by His Spirit, and through the Gospel, God causes all whom He has redeemed and justified in Christ to look to Christ alone as their only justification.

Their believing is not the time of their justification, but the evidence of it. Justification is in, by, and through the LORD Jesus alone, fully accomplished at the cross! "…when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on High…” (Hebrews 1:3) "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross…” (Colossians 2:14)